Harris h



(No Model.) I 2 sheets-sheet. 1.,

H. H. HAYDEN.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 321,294 P-atentedLJ e 30, 1885..

N. PETERS. Plwlumhogmphlr, Wuhlullon, I}. C.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

H. H. HAYDEN.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 321 294. Patented June 30, 1885.

N. PUERS. HvoloL-mugnphar, Wnhingtam D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

HARRIS H. HAYDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STORE-SERVlCE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,294, dated June 30, 1885.

Application filed June 18. 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIS H. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of storeservice apparatus in which the ways extending between the desk and stations consist of wires secured at the ends nearest the desk to stationary supports, and at the ends nearest the counters to vertically-movable supports; and my invention consists in constructing the parts so as to permit the wires to be adjusted to any angle without materially altering the tension upon the same.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction intended to facilitate the erection and manipulation of the apparatus.

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are views illustrating difi'erent supports, affording means of adj usting the wire without materially increasing the tension thereon. Fig. 2 is a section on line 1 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sect-ion on the line 5 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7 8, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 9 10, Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of wire ways in a store. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the arrangement of supports and wires. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of part of thedevice shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is a view illustrating a modified form of catch device.

It common in store-service apparatus in which wire ways are employed, to connect the wires to slides moving upon vertical guides, the result being that but a limited adjustment of the way is possible, as the slides cannot move to any considerable extent upon the guides unless the wires are so slack as to interfere with the proper operations of the systern.

In order to permit the wires to be moved to any desired angle without undue strain, or, on the other hand, without slackening them too much, I provide means whereby the wire supports or slides may carry the ends of the wires in substantially curved lines, coinciding with circles the centers of which are the fixed .curved to the desired degree.

(No model.)

ends of the wires, so that an equal tension is maintained upon the wire whatever may be the degree of its inclination.

Different means may be employed for guiding the slide or support to move upon acurved line. In Fig. 1, the guide A is a rod upon which the slide B moves, and is shown as In Fig. 2 the curved bearing for the slide B is formed at the rear edge of a plate which is arranged vertically and constitutes the guide A. In Fig. 3 the plate has parallel edges, but a curved slot, which constitutes the curved bearing, and through which extends a pin, a, connected to the slide. In Fig. at the guide A is a straight rod, but it is hinged at its upper end to a bracket, 0, so that it can swing freely, guided at the lower end upon a guidingbracket, 0, and a spring, 1), tends to carry the guide to a vertical position, but yields, as the slide descends, in a curved line, 12, so that it has a curved path and a practically-curved bearing, and the wire is at all times maintained under the requisite tension.

NVhile a curved rod secured to terminal supports, as shown in Fig. 1, will properly guide the slide, it must be of such rigidity as to resist the strain upon the slide. I have therefore found it of advantage to employ the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the guide-rod A is a comparatively small red and is connectedto a heavier supportingrod, D, and placed at the rear thereof, so that the rod D will be between the slide and the opposite fixed end of the wire way E. In this casethe light rod A is strengthened by suitable braces or arms connecting it to the rod D, so that it need not be as heavy and rigid as when supported only at the ends, as in Fig. 1.

In order to properly support, brace, and adjust the rod A to the desired inclination and curvature, it is best to secure it to the rod D by means of extensible connections. Thus the lower end of the rod fits a socket in a bearing, F, secured to the supporting-rod D, and the upper end extends through a hearing, G, or is fastened to the same, and an m, (1, extends from the bearing G and overlaps an arm, (1, extending from the rod D, and one or both arms d d are slotted and connected by a bolt, 0, so that the upper end of the rod G may be set to any required position in respect to the rod D and there secured.

The braces K K are extensible, the brace K consisting of two sections. it, and a nut or threaded sleeve, m, the sections having threads running in opposite directions, so that by turning the sleeve the sections may be separated or brought together. The brace K consists of two sections, 43 71', each with a threaded recess adapted to a threaded rod, m, the threads of which run in opposite directions, so that the sections t z" may be separated or brought together by turning the rod in.

It will be apparent that where the wire ways are of different lengths and radiate from the main desk X at different angles, as illustrated in Fig. 10, it is necessary that the bearing of each slide shall be of a different curve, and also that the bearings or supports must be set at different angles. If each bearing was a simple curved rod, the collection of rods of different curves, and set at different angles,

would present a very unsightly appearance. By the use of vertical supporting-rods D, each carrying a curved bearing-bar of small diameter, the supports are all set practically in vertical positions, and by merely turning the rods D each bearing-rod A may be brought into line with the way to be supported, as shown in Fig. 11.

Instead of turning the rods D the supports for the bearingrods A may be connected adjustably to the said rods D. Thus the bearings F F may be sleeves or collars, movable upon the rod D, and secured thereto by setscrews f, which may be loosened to permit the bearing-rod A to be set to any required position, and may then be tightened so as to secure the parts firmly in place. By this construction, or by any other which permits the supporting-rod A to be brought to any desired angle to the axis of the rod D, I am enabled to make the proper connection with the various ways extending from the desk at various angles without the necessity of using more than one form or pattern of support.

WVhen the ways are at a considerable distance from the floor, it is notexpedient to bring the ends nearest the counters to their lowest position for the purpose of directing the carriers to the stations, as the inclination of the ways would be too great. The counter end of each way is therefore carried downward to a limited extent, sufficient to cause the descent of the carrier, and then, after the carrier has arrived at the station, is pulled farther down, to bring the carrier within reach of the salesman, as set forth in my application No. 132,691, filed May 24, 1884. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4., where the packing-desk Itis shown as located on the top of the shelving S, behind the counter T, and the line shown extends to the top of shelving S, on the opposite side of the store. This U shows the great economy of space gained by my improvement, which enables me to put the packing desks at a considerable elevation above the floor. The slide is first drawn to the position 1 to incline the way and move the carrier to the counter T, and is then further lowered to the position 2 to bring the carrier within reach of the attendant. Another means of permitting this double movement of the slide is shown in Fig. 5,where the cord N, by means of which the slide is elevated, is fastened or clamped at the point x, and is provided with a spring, 8, so that when the slide is released it will descend until the way E is in the position shown in dotted lines 1,where it will be retained, but from which it may be drawn farther down, to the position shown by dotted lines 2, by pulling upon the cord N and distending the spring. This double movement of the slide and double adjustment of the way facilitates the operations of the system in connection with means for releasing the slides from the central desk, so that the operator at that desk may cause each wire, or any wire, to assume the proper position to' direct the carrier back to the salesman without causing it to descend so low as to impart an undesirable impetus to the carrier, but without interfering with the further movement of the slide by the salesman in order to bring the carrier within reach. Thus a spring or friction catchlever, H, Figs. 5 and 12, is pivoted to the slide in such position that it will engage with a shoulder, it, upon the guide and retain the slide after it is raised to the limit of its upward movement, and a cord or wire, M, ex- 00 tends from a lever, H, pivoted to the guide,

to the cashier s desk, and affords a means whereby the cashier may move the lever H to push back the lever H and release the slide, when it will descend until the wire is in the :05 position 1, after which the salesman may draw it down to the position 2.

A cord, Z, extends from the end of the lever through an eye, Z, on the slide, so that the salesman may pull back the lock or lever II no and release the slide to pull down the same. This permits the salesman to change the in clination of the line without interfering with like operation by the cashier, and this or other lock arrangement may be used, whether the II 5 slide is to be lowered by either the cashier or salesman.

When the curved bearing is formed upon the main support, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the support is secured adj ustably in its bear- I2 ings, so as to be set at any desired angle and there secured.

The catch-lever H on the slide is shown as one means of retaining the slide in its elevated position. I do not, however, limit myself to 5 this particular catch device, as others of different forms may be employed. For instance, I may use a catch-lever pendent from the bearing G, and operated by means of an elec tro-magnet, P, as shown in Fig. 13.

The ability to reverse the wire from either end is of great practical value, as the salesman is not required to attend to the manipulation of the line for the return of the carrier. Another improvement in the construction of the slide B is illustrated in Fig. 12, which consists in pivoting at y the frame U, which carries the friction-rollers z z, to the frame V, to which the wire and the spring-buffer NV and catch XV are fastened. By this arrangement the part V with its attachments follows the alignment of the wire, and the friction-rollers z z bear equally on the guide-rod A,whatever may be the angle of the wire.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of a wire having a movable support, and adjusting means at one end, constructed, substantially as described, to alter the angle of the wire withoutaltering the tension thereof.

2. The combination, with the adjustable wire of a store-service apparatus, of a terminal support connected to the wire and guided by devices, substantially as described, to maintain a uniform tension on the wire whatever may be its position, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of the counters, desks, ways, and terminal waysupports movable upon bearings in curved paths, substantially as set forth.

4. A storcservice apparatus provided with wire ways with slides to which the ways are attached at their movable ends, and with curved guides for the said slides, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the movable wire and slide of a storeservice apparatus, of a vertically arranged support provided with a curved guide or hearing for the slide, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the slide and movable way of a store-service apparatus, of a guide for the slide, constructed and arranged, substantially as set forth, to permit the vertical adjustment of the slide and maintain a uniform tension upon the way, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a way of a store-service apparatus, secured at one end to a fixed support and at the other to aslide, and a guide for said slide, constructed and arranged to permit the slide to travel in a curved path, for the purpose specified.

S. A support for the movable slide attached to the wire way of a store-service apparatus, provided with a curved bearing for said slide, substantially as set'forth.

9. The combination, with the wire way and slide of a store-service apparatus, of a vertically-arranged support having a curved bearing for the slide at the edge farthest from the point where the wire is connected to the fixed support, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, in a SiJOIGSBlVlCB apparatus, of the wire way slide support having a curved bearing for the slide, and means, substantially as described, for permitting the adjustment of said support to bring the bearing in line with the direction of the wire, substant-ialiy as specified.

11. A vertically-movable slide for the wire way of a store-service apparatus, adapted to a guide, and provided with a cord extend ng to the counter, in combination with a locking device for holding the slide in its elevated position.

12. A vertically-movable slide connected to one end of a store-service way, in combination with a lock for holding the support in its elevated position, and with means, substantially as described, for releasing the slide from elther end of the line.

13. The combination of the movable slide connected to one end of a store-service way, a lock for holding the slide when elevated, rcleasing means, substantially as described, and cords connected to the slide and arranged to permit the same to be raised and lowered from the salcsmans station, substantially as described.

14. A support for the slide ofa store-service apparatus, consisting of a vertical bar and a curved bar connected thereto and constituting a bearing for the slide, substantially as specified.

15. The combination, in the support for the slide of a storeservice apparatus, of a vertical bar and a curved rod secured to said bar by adjustable connections, substantially as specified.

16. The combination of the slide connected to the way, means, s.:bstantially as described, for arresting the slide before reaching the limit of its downward movement, a catch for retaining the slide in its upward position, and means, substantially as described, for operating the catch to release the slide from the salesmans station, substantially as described.

17. The combination of the vertical bar curved rod A, adjustably connected to said bar, and extension-braces between the rod and the bar, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination, with the vertical rod D, of the curved rod A, and bearings F F, supporting the rod A, and adjustably connected to the rod D, substantially as set forth.

19. The combination, with the slide connected to the wire-way of a storeservice apparatus, and with means, substantially as described, for arresting the slide before it reaches the limit of its downward movement, of a catch for retaining the slide in its ele- IIO vated position, and means, substantially as guide in order to change the inclination of the 10 described, for operating said catch from the Way. main desk, for the purpose set forth. I In testimony whereof I have signed my 20. The combination of the guide and slide I name to this specification in the presence of connected to the wire by a pivoted arm or two subscribing witnesses. frame, substantially as described. HARRIS H. HAYDEN.

21. In a store-service apparatus, a Way fixed \Vi t nesses:

at one end and movable at the other by means \VM. TRUsLoW, of a slide adapted to be moved on a curved I CHARLES RUSHBROOK. 

